Athletic footwear securing device

ABSTRACT

An athletic footwear retaining device comprises a length of fabric extending around the ankle of an athlete and around the arch portion of an athletic footwear device worn by the athlete and a releasable retaining device for securing the length of fabric in place.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, athletic shoes S such as a football shoes, baseballshoes, soccer shoes, and the like have typically been secured to thefeet F of athletes means of one or more lengths of tape T. For example,a first portion or length of tape T1 is secured around the ankle of theathlete for the purpose of stabilizing the ankle and thereby preventingankle injury. A second quantity or length of tape T2 is secured aroundthe arch portion of the athletic shoe S and functions to secure the shoeS on the foot F of the athlete by preventing the laces L of the shoe Sfrom loosening. The second quantity or length of tape T2 may also wrapthe material of the shoe S around the foot F of the athlete moresecurely than would be possible utilizing the laces L of the shoe S.

The system for securing athletic footwear on the feet of athletesillustrated in FIG. 1 has been used in decades but is neverthelesscharacterized by multiple deficiencies. First, the procedure forwrapping tape around the ankles and footwear of athletes is timeconsuming particularly when consideration is given to the fact that itis necessary to secure all of the footwear for all of the athletescomprising a particular team substantially simultaneously. Anotherdifficulty involves the fact that the tape used to secure athleticfootwear is not particularly durable such that it may become necessaryto re-tape the footwear of particular athletes, for example, duringhalftime.

The present invention comprises an improved device for securing athleticfootwear on the feet of athletes which overcomes the foregoing and otherdifficulties which have long since characterized the prior art. Inaccordance with the broader aspects of the invention, there is providedan athletic shoe retainer constructed from a durable fabric andconfigured to wrap around both the ankle of an athlete and around thearch portion of an athletic shoe worn by the athlete. The device issecured in place by a releasable fastener such as a zipper or ahook-and-loop type fastener and is thereby adapted for repeated usage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had byreference to the following Detailed Description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a prior art technique for retainingathletic shoes;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an athletic footwear retaining devicecomprising a first embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an athletic footwear retaining devicecomprising a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the Drawings, and particularly to FIG. 2 thereof, thereis shown an athletic footwear retaining device 10 comprising a firstembodiment of the invention. The athletic footwear retaining device 10comprises an upper portion 12 which wraps securely around the ankle ofan athlete. The athletic footwear retaining device 10 further includes alower portion 14 which is securely wrapped around the arch portion of anathletic shoe 16 which may comprise a football shoe, a baseball shoe, asoccer shoe, or any other type of athletic shoe. The athletic footwearretaining device 10 is secured in place by a releasable retaining device18 such as a zipper or a hook-and-loop type fastener.

The athletic footwear retaining device 10 is constructed from a durable,flexible and somewhat stretchable fabric of the type utilized in theconstruction of various types and kinds of athletic apparel, medicaldevices, and the like. Such materials typically comprise one or morepolymers. The fabric is utilized in the construction of the athleticfootwear retaining device 10 is preferably launderable to facilitaterepeated usage.

The lower portion 20 of the athletic footwear retaining device 10 maycomprise a durable, wear resistant fabric which is not necessarilyflexible. The lower portion 20 of the athletic footwear retaining device10 may be secured to the remainder thereof by sewing. The lower portion20 may be sewn on top of a portion of the fabric comprising the athleticfootwear retaining device 10 extending under the athletic shoe 16.Alternatively, the lower portion 20 may be sewn to opposite ends of thefabric comprising the athletic footwear retaining device 10.

Use of the athletic footwear retaining device 10 begins with securingthe athletic shoe 16 on the foot of a athletic in the usual manner. Theretaining device 18 of the athletic footwear retaining device 10 isopened and the toe of the shoe 16 is extended through the lower portion14 of the athletic footwear retaining device 10. The retaining device 18is then closed thereby securing the athletic footwear retaining device10 around the ankle of the athlete and around the shoe 16 secured on thefoot of the athlete.

FIG. 2 illustrates an athletic footwear retaining device 30 comprising asecond embodiment of the invention. Many of the component parts of theathletic footwear retaining device 30 are substantially identical inconstruction and function to component parts of the athletic footwearretaining device 10 illustrated in FIG. 2 and described hereinabove inconjunction therewith. Such identical component parts are designated inFIG. 3 with the same reference numerals utilized in the description ofthe athletic footwear retaining device 10 but are differentiatedtherefrom by a prime (′) designation.

The athletic footwear retaining device 30 is particularly useful inconjunction with ice skates, roller skates, and other similar devices.For example, the ice skate 32 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a shoe portion36 and a blade portion 38. A gap 40 extends between the shoe portion 36and the blade portion 38. The athletic footwear retaining device 30includes a strap 42 which extends through the gap 40 and around the archportion of the shoe portion 36 of the ice skate 32. The strap 40 issecured in place by a hook-and-loop type fastener 44. The strap 42 ofthe athletic footwear retaining device 30 of FIG. 2 may also be utilizedin the construction of the athletic footwear retaining device 10 of FIG.1 to provide more constriction around the arch of the athlete wearingthe athletic shoe 16.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated inthe accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing DetailedDescription, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tothe embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements,modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

1. For use in conjunction with an athletic footwear device of the typecomprising an arch portion, an athletic footwear retaining devicecomprising: a unitary length of fabric configured to wrap securelyaround the ankle of an athlete and around the arch portion of anathletic footwear device worn by the athlete; releasable fastener meansfor securing the length of fabric in place.
 2. The athletic footwearretaining device according to claim 1 wherein the unitary length offabric comprises a stretchable fabric.
 3. The athletic footwearretaining device according to claim 1 wherein the releasable fastenercomprising a zipper.
 4. The athletic footwear retaining device accordingto claim 1 wherein the releasable fastener means comprises ahook-and-loop fastener.
 5. The athletic footwear retaining deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein the unitary length of fabric includes awear resistant section extending under the arch portion of the athleticfootwear device worn by the athlete.
 6. The athletic footwear retainingdevice according to claim 1 wherein the unitary length of fabric furtherincludes a strap portion extending around the foot of the athlete andaligned with the arch portion of the athletic footwear device worn bythe athlete.